Ionic Liquid Reactor with Static Mixers for Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current designs for combined reactor and heat exchanger units are inefficient for use with ionic liquid catalysts, particularly in alkylation processes, due to poor heat transfer and difficulties in controlling temperature and separating dispersed ionic liquid droplets.
Innovation Solution
A combined reactor and heat exchanger design where the process fluid flows through inner tubes with static mixers, enhancing heat transfer and droplet uniformity, while the cooling fluid flows on the shell side, facilitating efficient heat removal and easier downstream separation of ionic liquid droplets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pump impellers are used for fluid mixing and circulation in the shell side, then fluid dispersion is achieved, but heat transfer is poor and downstream separation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pump impellers with a static mixer system that uses the kinetic energy of the flowing fluid itself to create mixing and dispersion. The static mixer elements generate turbulence and shear forces that disperse the ionic liquid catalyst into uniform droplets without requiring external mechanical agitation, thereby improving heat transfer while maintaining effective mixing and circulation.
2Productivity
If high shear pump impellers are used for dispersion, then ionic liquid droplets are created, but downstream separation of dispersed droplets becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the flow parameters (velocity, turbulence intensity) through the static mixer to achieve optimal droplet dispersion. By carefully designing the flow conditions and mixer geometry, the system creates uniformly sized droplets with controlled distribution, which significantly improves downstream separation efficiency compared to the wide distribution created by high shear pump impellers.
3Temperature
If process fluid flows on the shell side with limited velocities, then cooling fluid can be applied, but heat transfer is poor for viscous liquid acid catalyst
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional shell-side cooling arrangement with a system where the process fluid flows through static mixer elements in the tubes. This substitution uses the fluid's own flow energy to create intense mixing and turbulence, dramatically improving heat transfer coefficients for the viscous ionic liquid catalyst while maintaining effective temperature control.
4Device complexity
If combined reactor and heat exchanger units are used, then piping and plot space are reduced, but current designs are not properly configured for ionic liquid catalyst processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a combined reactor-heat exchanger unit where the tube bundle serves dual functions: as the reaction vessel for the ionic liquid catalyst and as the heat exchange surface. The static mixer elements integrated into the tube bundle provide both mixing/dispersion for the catalyst and enhance heat transfer, allowing the unit to effectively perform multiple functions that were previously requiring separate equipment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design improves heat transfer efficiency and simplifies the separation of ionic liquid and hydrocarbon streams, addressing the limitations of existing systems by maintaining reactants and products in a liquid phase and utilizing static mixers for uniform droplet dispersion.
Implementation Method 1
As the process fluid flows through inside tubes with high velocities (e.g. larger than 10 ft/s) through static mixers, the heat transfer is greatly improved
Implementation Method 2
the cooling fluid flows on the shell side
Implementation Method 3
with static mixers, more uniform droplets of dispersed phase are generated
Implementation Method 4
The process fluid is on the shell side of the heat exchanger with limited fluid velocities, and thus the heat transfer would be poor for a fluid containing viscous liquid acid catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
A combined heat exchanger and reactor for use with an ionic liquid catalyst reaction. The reactor includes an outer shell configured to receive a cooling fluid which may remove heat from reactions occurring within hollow members disposed inside of the outer shell. The hollow members preferably include one or more static mixers for mixing fluids and dispersing ionic liquid into droplets. A separation zone may be disposed beneath the hollow members which will separate the effluent and provide a hydrocarbon stream and an ionic liquid stream. Multiple combined heat exchanger and reactor may be arranged in series.